5 Times Sam Told Jack She Was Pregnant
by Trinity1.0
Summary: I had some realy issues posting this and had to delete a few times.  Sorry.  5 different times Sam gave Jack 'the news'


Sam couldn't explain the anxiety she was feeling.

Well, that wasn't true. She could. She just didn't want to. Not to anyone, particularly not to herself.

This was news that typically led to celebration, to joyful responses and expectant looks. Sam just wasn't sure how Jack would take it. She couldn't deny that the situation was awkward, but it had been two years and frankly, under normal circumstances, she may have felt that it had been too long. But then, very few things in Sam's life had ever been normal. This was protocol and that was perfect because otherwise, she wouldn't know how exactly to handle it - turned out the damned 'regs' were good for something.

Sam knocked twice on General O'Neill's door and waited until he commanded her to 'Come.' Stepping in Sam tried to sound casual and gave Jack the usual "Hi Sir."

"Carter. What can I do for you?"

"Well," Sam responded as she turned to close the door. "There's something I need to tell you, if you have a minute."

Gesturing for her to have a seat, Jack told Sam, "Sure. Paperwork's not going anywhere – sadly."

Sam sat in the chair as directed and began, "Well Sir, I'm not sure how to say this other than to just, say it so…."

Jack's eyebrows rose slightly, watching Sam's obvious discomfort. He knew there were a few things that Samantha Carter was uncomfortable discussing and none were work related. In spite of himself, Jack felt his gut contact, so he waited.

"I'm pregnant Sir."

Sam wasn't looking at Jack when she'd spoken the words, her eyes eventually finding his a few beats after. Jack looked at Sam and time warped. He felt his throat go dry, his heart speed up and his mind go blank. Taking in a sharp breath, he finally responded.

"Pregnant."

"Yeah."

"Hmm. Well. Congratulations Sam."

Jack couldn't seem to take his eyes off his second in command, and their gaze held until some moments later when Jack's brain kicked back into gear.

Sam began to tell him, "Jack..." but he didn't let her continue. Really, what was there left to say. Standing, he smiled slightly and told her genuinely, "You'll be a great mom."

Realizing nothing further would be allowed Sam accepted the compliment.

"Thank you Sir."

Slowly turning to leave the room, Sam glanced back at Jack before opening the door and walking out. Jack watched her leave before moving to close the door, returning to sit in the chair Sam had just occupied.

"_I'm pregnant Sir." _

Why the hell was he surprised? Carter had been married to Pete for two years. He should have been surprised that Shanahan hadn't tried to get Sam pregnant on their wedding night, but then he really couldn't blame the guy. Pete had Carter. Now she was having his child.

Jack let out a melancholy sigh and shook his head. Carter was pregnant. He'd gotten through the fact that she was married because he believed – hoped it was what was best for Sam, and because he rarely ever saw Pete; there was no constant reminder.

But watching Carter have another man's baby; the glow that would inevitably take over her; the swollen tummy; the cravings; the complete beauty of it all; Jack wasn't sure he could do that. He was just a man after all; Ancient gene or not.

The ability to watch the woman he loved have another man's baby was not a strain he felt was laced into his DNA, and the ever-present resignation loophole jumped out at him again.

As Jack sat in Sam's chair, hearing her words in his head again – _'I'm pregnant Sir.'_ He considered, possibly for the last time, leaving it all behind. Perhaps it was time. There was a new life beginning to grow in Carter – maybe it was time that he moved on to a new life of his own – maybe it would be best for Carter too – and in the end that's all he'd ever wanted – the best for her.

Maybe resigning now would help him deal with the fact that that was never him.

Maybe.

_**End**_

It had been a moment of weakness. Samantha Carter was generally a strong person, soldier, woman, but there were times when she was vulnerable; a victim of circumstance that would test the metal of even the false gods SG-1 had encountered over the years; more so this woman.

Loss was almost a daily occurrence for members of the SGC. It was a fact of life that you lost people. Generally you prayed that those losses, as important as they all were, didn't hit too close to home, to close to the team that was now more important to you than some members of your actual bloodline.

Loss was real.

Sam had already lost one. Daniel was just gone one day after a routine mission. Nothing anyone could do – Nothing _she_ could do. Daniel died painfully, not at all like he should have – old and happy and free. Sam had lost Daniel, and there was nothing that she could do.

Now Sam was facing the very real prospect of losing Colonel O'Neill; losing Jack. She'd tried to move heaven and earth, made unreasonable demands, become someone else in the eyes of those around her, but found herself, once again, in that desperate place of being able to do nothing.

Comfort wasn't willingly accepted in times like these; it spoke too much to the weakness Sam hated. She had just wanted to be alone where she could grieve and feel in private, the things the Major was never allowed to feel in the open for the Colonel; a love for the man that had become so much more than a military figure in her life.

When Teal'c had tentatively entered that restricted place, Sam's intention had never been to receive him. Teal'c had asked Sam if she had given up, had lost hope. Sam could not acknowledge that, but could not deny the pain at seeming to have lost again. Then Teal'c was holding her; his arm around her like a brace, a guard, a protection against the grief, and Sam fell into him, accepted what he had offered and grabbed on.

After raising her head from Teal'c' shoulder, Sam wiped away the tears and looked into the eyes of this friend, knowing she couldn't lose him too. Teal'c was here, he was what she had and she didn't want to let go of that. So Sam took the comfort Teal'c represented and he took hers.

Weakness is most present and dangerous when it hits you when the consequences are greatest and the stakes are at its highest. Weakness creates situations of its own, and a month after her last failure against it, Samantha Carter stood in front of the office of Colonel O'Neill. She had to tell Jack about that failure; that submission; that weakness. The impulse to tell Jack first, overwhelmed her, and as she knocked on the door, awaiting entry, Sam rehearsed the words that she would speak to him; words she had imagined would have had a much different meaning if they were to be spoken under different circumstances; words that would change life forever.

The door opened then and Jack stood before Sam. Captured by his eyes, the practiced speech dissolved into only two words which played in her head like an unending refrain;

_I'm pregnant_._ I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant._

_**End**_

Black and white: That's what it was.

There was no concern about ranks and regulations, chain of command or discretion. Their relationship had moved from uncertain shades of grey, to uncomplicated black and white.

Sam and Jack had talked the first few months into their relationship.

Really talked.

Sam had told Jack that she no longer believed that fences could be mended with Mark. The final straw seeming to have been her breaking up with Pete, and she had made peace with that.

Jack had confessed Sam that he still hadn't fully gotten over the loss of his only son. Time had not healed that wound and though the edge of the pain was not quite as sharp as it once had been, he was grateful for it – the pain – it made sure Jack would never completely lose the son he so loved. He held no ambition for fatherhood anymore, having lived with the dark side of it longer than the joys.

They'd been together three years now, many more things shared within the borders of that time. Now, Jack sat in the single chair in their living room. Standing before him, Sam waited, having just told Jack that they were going to have a baby. She waited for Jack's reaction and hoped.

Leaning forward in the chair Jack sighed as Sam's words worked their way through his blood. Slowly looking up, the pain of the first loss suddenly very visible in his eyes, Jack began to tell her,

"Sam….. I can't…."

Shaking his head slowly, Jack sighed deeply again before looking away, his unfinished sentence left hanging like a guillotine over them.

As tears filled her eyes, Sam wondered how many months it would take before the baby growing inside her could sense his mother's despair and desperation.

In response,

her own tears began to fall.

**End**

_Today is a beautiful day._

The thought wasn't running around Jack O'Neill's head because he had been outside. On the contrary, he was actually still lying in bed. The fact was, there could have been sheet show or white rain outside and it would still have been a beautiful day to him. Samantha Carter was in bed with him, warm and right and real. It didn't get much better for a man like him.

Some moments later Jack felt Sam stir next to him. She stroked the hand he had laying on her hip before quietly sitting up, her feet now over the edge of the bed. Without looking he recognized that Sam took something out of her side table and then disappeared into the bathroom.

Jack was grateful that they had this time off together. He relished the quite times when it was just them, and was glad they'd made no plans other than just being together.

Sam took a little longer than usual but eventually retuned to their bed, taking up her earlier position with her back pressed up against him. Jack replaced his arm around his wife, relishing in the warmth of her body next to his.

"Everything alright?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah. Everything's fine." Sam paused a moment before she continued.

"I just thought I'd start resting up a bit, you know, with the baby on the way now."

Before Jack could process what she'd said, Sam pressed a small piece of plastic into the hand on her hip.

"Wha…"

Jack pulled his hand up to his face and blinked so that he could focus on the object placed there. It wasn't like Sam to bring doohickeys home so…

Then he saw it. There, written in blue was the word, PREGNANT**.**

Jack made sure he blinked all the sleep out of his eyes before looking at the stick again. Sam couldn't see the smile on his face but he made sure that she would. Turning Sam around onto her back, Jack propped himself on his elbow, his hand in her hair, giving her back the stick he said, "Pregnant huh?"

Sam seemed unable to speak through the closed smile that overtook her face and responded only with "Umm Hmm."

Moving his free hand under the tank pajama top she wore, Jack spread his fingers over Sam's taut stomach and gently stroked circles into her flesh. As the goose bumps rose on her skin, Jack looked into Sam's eyes and confirmed what he had known from the beginning.

"Sam, today is a beautiful day."

Sam opened her mouth to respond, but didn't have the opportunity, as Jack got to her lips before the words were able to escape. So she kissed him back instead. Sam knew Jack was right – it _was_ a beautiful day.

**End**

Fishing was Jack's favourite pastime and Sam loves the haven that the cabin has become for her. Sharing it with Teal'c, Daniel and their other friends was a bonus, but it's a great feeling knowing that this place is just theirs.

The day is warm and sweet. Jack and Sam are sitting on the pier with no need for distractions or conversation. Jack thinks nothing of it as Sam gets up and goes inside, but when she returns with a miniature rod and stands it against the cooler in front of them, he's curious. Saying nothing Sam sits down and retrieves her rod.

Confused Jack looks at her. She's smiling out at the lake but doesn't turn to look at him. Knowing his eyes are on her, Sam eventually asks innocently, "What?"

"_Carter." _

Laughing Sam responds "Ok. I figured you'd have the kid fishing before he's in diapers anyway. I'm just thinking ahead."

Jack looks from Sam to the fishing rod, to Sam, to the rod. Realization suddenly hits him, and he picks up the rod, moves and kneels beside Sam asking, "Are you…?"

Finally looking into his eyes, smiling warmly, she confirms, "Yes. We are."

Jack stands, drops the rod before he pulls Sam to her feet and into his arms. Through the emotion that wells up inside him all he can say as he holds her is, _"Sam"_

Sam responds with her arms curled against Jack's back, smiling into his shoulder and sighing the way you do when someone puts a warm blanket around you on a cold night. _"Hmmm"_

**End**


End file.
